Court of Appeals Judge Jack Wilson(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

The case stemmed from a drunken brawl at Shucker's Oyster and Piano Bar in Ridgeland in the early morning hours of New Year's Day in 2012.

Bar goer Ryan Cobb punched Derrick Evans in the face, breaking his nose, while they were waiting for rides in the parking lot of the bar. Both were intoxicated.

Here are Judge Jack Wilson's words, verbatim:

"Around 2 a.m., it was closing time, time to go out into the world. Shucker’s turned the lights up over every boy and every girl. It was time for the few customers still at the bar to finish their whiskey or beer. They didn’t have to go home, but they couldn’t stay at Shucker’s.

Evans knew who he wanted to take him home. Jennifer’s husband, Fred, was going to pick up Evans, Jennifer, and Leah when he got off of work around 2 a.m. Fred would take them back to the places they were from. So Evans moved it to the exits and found his friends."

Wilson credited the band Semisonic in a footnote. "See generally Semisonic, Closing Time, on Feeling Strangely Fine (MCA 1998)."

This unexpectedly lighthearted piece of legal text wouldn't have been made possible if Evans and some friends didn't decide to ring in the new year in 2012 at Shucker's.

That night, a woman stumbled into Evans' friend Leah, causing her to spill her drink. A "little shuffle" ensued, Evans said, according to court documents. Security intervened and the woman left the bar by cab.

The woman was with another party, including Cobb, his fiancee, his sister and his brother-in-law. Later that night, after closing time, Cobb's sister and his fiancee apologized to Leah for the earlier incident, documents say. They were all standing around outside the bar, waiting for rides.

Initially, Leah said it was "fine" and "no problem," however, after Cobb's sister and fiancee left to use a restroom, Leah started speaking badly about them, calling them "whores, Jackson trash, this that and the other," Cobb testified.

This led to a heated argument, documents say. Cobb kicked a chair that Evans was sitting in. Evans stood up and threw the chair, hitting Cobb. Others got involved with the fight, including Leah and Cobb's brother-in-law.

Cobb punched Evans once in the face. Seconds later, three Shucker's security guards ran out to break up the fight. The altercation lasted 24 seconds, security footage shows, according to court documents.

Evans had a broken nose and multiple broken facial bones.

Cobb was charged with simple assault and pleaded guilty in July 2013.

In 2014, Evans sued Cobb and Shucker's in county court. He sued Cobb for assault, battery and negligence and claimed Shucker's was negligent in preventing the assault and should be held liable.

The court ruled against Evans, siding with Cobb and Shucker's. It found that Evans' claim against Cobb fell outside the one-year statute of limitations for assault and battery and that Shucker's didn't do anything wrong.

Wilson — as well as a circuit court judge before him — agreed and affirmed both rulings.

Wilson declined a Clarion Ledger request for an interview.

According to an online biography, Wilson was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2015. He was elected to an eight-year term in 2016. Wilson grew up in Jackson and Tupelo and got his law degree from Harvard Law School.

In case "Closing Time" is not yet stuck in your head, here are the lyrics that correspond with Wilson's decision, courtesy of AZ Lyrics:

Closing time,
Open all the doors and let you out into the world.
Closing time,
Turn all of the lights on over every boy and every girl.
Closing time,
One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time,
You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home.

Closing time,
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from.
Closing time,
This room won't be open 'til your brothers or your sisters come.
So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits,
I hope you have found a friend.
Closing time,
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.